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The woman thought the light brown or tan sedan in her carport at 12:15 p.m. belonged to a relative, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said. The home is in the 7600 block of Sifford Road in unincorporated Denver, southwest of N.C. 73 and Lake Norman.

The door to her home was partially open, but she entered since she thought a relative was inside. The door actually had been kicked in, investigators said.

That’s when she encountered a slim, 18- to 22-year-old man with a black handgun. He took the woman into a back room and placed her in a chair, telling her he didn’t want to hurt her, according to the sheriff’s office.

She called 911 while the suspect was elsewhere in her home.

The man left with a flat screen TV and a lock box before officers arrived, investigators said.

Deputies believe two intruders were in the home, but the victim saw only one.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 704-732-9050 or Lincolnton/Lincoln County Crime Stoppers at 704-736- 8909.